Can I go ahead with a faxed contract?

[AtW]

I think I do usually have to follow up with a signed document before they will actually pay the first invoice, but I suspect that it just "belt and braces" on their part.

I thought you retired sometime ago?

[SueEllen]

Not a lawyer, but I think you should be allright - even verbal contract has legal force, an email exchange with agreed contractual obligations should stay in court, and faxed copy should be almost as good as real deal - at least for low valued things, ie if you were selling diamonds then trusting fax would probably be foolish, but in this case it should be allright. Don't blame me if it won't be though - the risk is always yours, but if I was in your position (barring any obvious errors in contract) I'd accept it.

According to one of my contract lawyer friend's AtW's advice is correct regarding contract agreements.

Just make sure if you doing stuff by email you ensure the proper details of the party you are dealing with are present in the signature of the email.

[AtW]

According to one of my contract lawyer friend's AtW's advice is correct regarding contract agreements.

I am pleased to see someone actually reads what I post, fancy another red wine drink?

[IR35 Avoider]

I thought you retired sometime ago?

I think of myself as retired, while continuing to work 3 days a week. Apart from a 5K salary which pays for my car (including diesel and congestion charges for travelling to work) I put everything else I earn in my pension.

I took the decision a few years ago that when current client stopped wanting me that that would be it, unfortunately they keep asking me to work. (They have tried to stop wanting me a few times, but they always eventually want me back. Longest continuous period off was seven months in 2002, when they replaced me with permie. A few years later, he's left, and I'm now back, apparently indefinitely.)

Having said that, three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) is really easy to cope with - don't think I could cope with five days a week.

Am sometimes having trouble filling up the other days, so until I work that out there's no rush to quit altogether. I've already done/tried all the things I thought I was going to do - need new projects now.

[AtW]

I put everything else I earn in my pension.

You are a brave man...